all images are © 2005 to tranzen art llc
methodology
The
Process
Transfigurism starts with a photograph or real-life object, such as a flower,
which the artist scans into the computer. Transfigurist artists often find
that scanning the actual object, rather than a photograph, produces the most
interesting results, with images that have a heightened sense of depth of
field and startling, poignant color effects.
Once the photograph or object has been scanned, the artist deconstructs, arranges
and modifies the image's design, composition, color and size, exaggerating
or enhancing aspects in order to evoke the essence of the object as well as
its emotional intensity—to exalt its inherent qualities, in other words.
The computer truly becomes the artist's paint and brushes. Yet the artist
must always be conscious of how the image will appear on the final surface—for
example, where the petal of a flower will fall on the grain in the wood.
After the artist finishes manipulating the image, he or she crops into page-sized
rectangles to fit the output media—usually heat transfer paper—and
prints it out square by square.
The image
is then reassembled like a jigsaw puzzle and heat transferred to the selected
medium. The type of medium is limited only by the artist's imagination: Transfigurist
artist Kawano has transferred images to surfaces
such as birch plywood, canvas, scrolls, shipping pallets and old doors.
The heat transfer process is the step that produces each piece's unique character.
In the few seconds during which the transfer material becomes unstable, the
iron becomes like a heated paintbrush, allowing the artist to manipulate how
the image combines with the final surface to create a distinctive effect.
The artist significantly influences the texture and to a lesser degree, the
color of the final image, by controlling the amount of heat as well as the
time that the image is allowed to cool before removing the transfer paper.
In the next to last step of the process, the artist applies oil paint
to the image to enhance its color and texture. An advanced varnish is
then applied to provide surface durability and UV protection. In the final
step, the artist destroys the digital file, ensuring the piece's originality.
